FORMER Rangers chief executive Charles Green has backed Mike Ashley as the man to save the club in a bizarre TV interview from his hospital bed.

In footage filmed just hours after he had a knee operation, Mr Green defended his time at Ibrox and criticised fans' favourite Dave King before insisting he would love to return to the club.

The businessman also stressed he had not been arrested by police over the club's affairs but was questioned twice about former owner Craig Whyte.

Giving short shrift to rumours he had been arrested this week in France, Mr Green said: "It's really, really wrong. Obviously when I went to Rangers I had no idea what I was getting involved with, and no-one could have ever briefed you for this. It's things like today that make me think I should go back.

"The current team are doing a great job. Maybe the fans don't like them, maybe they don't like Mike Ashley. I don't like Mike Ashley, but it doesn't mean he isn't the right man for the job. I actually think his team are the right people."

He described newly appointed chief executive Derek Llambias as a "good guy", adding: "The reality is that these people have done nothing but good, they haven't taken anything out of Rangers, they've put money in.

"Sandy Easdale is exactly the same. All Sandy Easdale has done is put his hand in his pocket, pulled money out and put it into the club. He hasn't taken anything out of it and the fans are slaughtering him.

"And then here we have Dave King. Sandy has one charge and one conviction against him. Dave King admitted to 40, to settle with the South African authorities. So we're going to swap Sandy who's put money in, Dave King who hasn't, where's that going go put things forward? The club is going backwards"

Mr Green looked emotional during the interview with Sky Sports News when he was asked if he had been arrested by police in relation to the acquisition of assets. He said: "I have met with Police Scotland on two occasions where those questions were in connection with the previous ownership of the club, it was nothing to do with my running of the club. I raised £35m for that club when it was in a much worse position than it is today. I fought for Rangers."

Green said his salary at the club was £360,000 a year - half of what he would have received if Rangers had remained in the SPL. He also claimed former manager Ally McCoist refused to reduce his salary when the team were relegated, so kept his full £760,000.